Hey, sorry for not posting right away! My internet totally broke down on me, so I was actually lucky that I got to update this soon.
For that, you get two chapters! Not really, because one of them you don't even have to read, but whatever.
And for reviews…I'm sorry; I'm usually really good when it comes to responding, but with my e-mail all screwed up, and I can't respond to half on the site itself (For some strange reason), I just…didn't. Sorry again! I love you all that reviewed!
I don't own Tales of Symphonia. If I did, "Starry Heavens" would play in the beginning of the English version, just like in the Japanese one. That song's so cool!
Of course Kratos had let them live. He was far too softhearted for his own good; he merely knocked the living mana out of his former allies.
Which, embarrassing so, was incredibly undemanding.
He had let them live and he had watched as they were saved by the Renegades. He had prayed a silent prayer that Raine would try healing more often (He had no idea why), and he had left back to Cruxis with Lord Yggdrasill.
And here he was again, months later, joining with the group that he had harshly betrayed. Kratos often wondered if Fate loved to torture him so. Or maybe Lloyd had a very twisted sense of humor.
"Leave the captives to us." Regal almost bowed as he led half the group along with all the human prisoners towards the exit.
Lloyd, Genis, Raine, and Kratos were left to the rest of the Human Ranch.
Oh, the memories.
"Come on, guys." The brunette called to his companions, ever the faithful person in charge, "We need to find that watchcha-ma-call-it." He was undaunted by the fact that one of Cruxis's leaders was with them, watching their every move. Even more so, it was Kratos that was observing them. Heck, Lloyd was the one that invited him.
"Mana Reactor…" Raine corrected with a hint of a sigh, trying to ignore the person walking beside her. Unlike Lloyd, she was very aware of who it was.
Kratos seemed unbiased as usual, acting as if nothing ever happened. If he hadn't tried to kill the group awhile ago, one would assume he only went for a vacation and barely came back. Of course that wasn't the case.
Kratos didn't take vacations.
Genis shifted his gaze wearily between his sister and the purple donned seraph. The young mage felt awkward; it wasn't as if your enemies would just show up one day and say, "Hey, we need to join forces! Yay, goodness over all!" Genis felt a smile tugging at his lips as he thought; although for the most part, it was an entirely somber reflection.
The small group of four traveled down the many hallways without more than a couple of skirmishes; hardly anything that they couldn't handle with a couple of 'Photon', 'Sonic Sword Rain', 'Eruption', and 'Victory Light Spear's.
With growing irritation however, Kratos found that he was the main healer again. How did they manage without me? He performed another Healing Wind after another worthless fight, healing Genis's and Lloyd's injuries.
Poor silly Kratos forgot that the "Great Zelos Wilder" was the group's new healer.
They continued to trek into the Human Ranch until they entered a massive chamber of some sort, with the Mana Reactor was plainly in front of them, but there was someone standing in the way. Someone that Kratos immediately recognized as a half elf, and Lloyd found familiar from the past.
"That's as far as you go." The aqua-green haired half elf sneered.
"…You're…" in a flash, the brunette remembered the attack of Iselia; the fires, the slaughtering of the village folk…Marble..."Forcystus!"
Forcystus grinned wickedly, bearing his rather large canine teeth, "Well, well. So you remember me. It looks like it was a mistake to have let you live. I guess I'll have to take care of you personally."
Hearing the obvious threat, Kratos narrowed his garnet eyes. He had heard of the half-elf before; Mithos had lectured on him once. The Great Half-Elf Hero… "So you're Forcystus." The seraph tilted his head in an arrogant and mocking manner, "If death is what you seek, you shall have it."
Forcystus growled quietly. "Tough talk for a human," he spat, making sure that every word was accented with resentment, "You're the one who's going to die, along with this tainted world."
The purple donned man only smirked. "…Even if the world is lost, you can escape to Derris-Kharlan…Is that what you're thinking? …How naïve."
Raine blinked. Derris-Kharlan…the supposed world that elves had come from? She had thought it was only a fairy tale, read in bedtime stories for children to believe where mana came from. So it was real; but why had she not heard of it before? Surely, there would be a textbook or document of the world's history…Yes, just like how angels are half elves and desians are part of Cruxis? Right.
"…a world of mana, the very source of life! The destruction of this tainted world is no concern to us."
The professor felt a shiver down her spine. "What twisted logic…" Raine bit on her lower lip; did Kratos agree with it too? And why was she worried, anyway? "Is this Cruxis's idea?"
The aqua-green haired half elf's reply was almost an eerie mechanical one: "Lord Yggdrasill's orders are absolute."
Genis, uncharacteristically silent during the entire exchange, felt that he needed to speed things along; the whole world was going to be destroyed because a bunch of adults were arguing? "We don't have the time to be goofing around with this idiot!" He cried, earning everyone's attention, "Let's go, Lloyd!" The young mage pulled out his Kendama and began chanting, flipping his weapon up and down.
Almost as if Genis had broken a spell, everybody pulled out their respective weapons and prepared for battle. Kratos and Ranie both stood next to Lloyd, ready to support him, while Forcystus gritted his teeth and took a fighting stance.
"Drown…" the young mage grinned as the first assailant, "Spread!"
Forcystus easily sidestepped the large water spell, immediately counterattacking by firing from his missile-like arm. Genis simply cried, "Force field!" and the projectiles bounced harmlessly off the shield that was created.
Lloyd and Kratos sprang into action, striking the half elf with lighting fast strokes; the brunette's twinswords were a blur of steel, and the seraph's flame licked blade was a fiery wave.
Raine stood back, watching her allies practically handle the work of four into parts of three; Genis attacked with spells from afar, Lloyd sought to confuse the enemy with speed, while Kratos was slashing with pure unforgiving strength.
The professor glared harshly at nothing in particular; she was mostly mad at herself for not being able to do much besides support, two light attacks, and heal. Even her little brother contributed more to battles than she did!
Despite all the connecting attacks from the three, Forcystus laughed, "Nice try!" as he punched the floor with his artificial arm, spreading shockwaves around him.
"Ugh!" Both Lloyd and Kratos were caught off-guard, and were sent flying to hit the ground on their backs. The twin swordsman stood up quickly after the shock and returned to the battle with extra vigor, but Ranie saw that the purple clad man continued to lie on the ground.
Kratos? The professor felt her breath quicken as she closed her eyes and began chanting, the bright light of mana going through her closed eyelids. "Are you okay? First Aid!" The familiar green healing surrounded Kratos, but he remained motionless.
"Professor!" Lloyd called, neatly dodging an Air Thrust from Forcystus, "Heal him!! Heal!!" He wasn't aware that the silver haired teacher had healed Kratos. But he wasn't responding to the magic…
NO! Raine put all her mana into her next spell; why hadn't she seen it before? "Bring back this soul from Purgatory!" She felt him, he was dieing; she sensed her very soul reach for the spirit's hand…
'Wouldn't I be better dead?' Kratos soul grimly smiled, 'I'm your enemy…' He floated in front of the professor, almost mocking her with his stubbornness.
'No you wouldn't!' Raine growled, surprisingly clenching his gloved hand in a rough grip. 'You're coming with me to the living world!' She put all her strength into heaving him along.
Kratos blinked in mild shock before he simply smiled and whispered, 'As you wish…'
"Resurrection!" Raine lifted her staff high above her head.
In a dazzling show of blue and white illuminations, Kratos breathed once more; he stood up with renewed strength and vitality. The seraph looked up in time to watch Lloyd cry a final "Super Sonic Thrust!" and witness Forcystus fall into the deep trench adjacent to the mana reactor.
Genis and the brunette both cheered for their teamwork, but the elder swordsman strolled close to Raine, who was kneeling in a break.
"Tired?" Kratos questioned, eyeing the former teacher with an assessing gaze.
The orange clad woman stood up with a huff, using her rod to maintain her stance, "No I am not, thank you for your concern."
"Your welcome," Kratos smiled again, amused with her usually hidden temper.
Raine sighed. Since when did he smile so much? And why was her head spinning?
"First Aid," with the soft murmur from the auburn haired man's lips, Raine felt her tiredness and dizzy spell disappear. Kratos placed the usual smirk on his mouth before turning around to attend to the Mana Reactor.
The professor actually pouted. "Dim-witted angel…"
Hmmm, I seem to be focusing on Raine more now…Maybe cause she's healing more?
…And yes, the exchange between Forcystus and everyone are actual quotes from the game. I couldn't resist, seriously!